After a night plagued by micro
mosquitos there was no pre breakfast excursion but there was ample recompense
with a fine low Black Kite south over the Pela before 8am. It must have arrived
yesterday and roosted up somewhere. After some general faffing around I headed
up towards Lepetimnos in the hope that I could make up for yesterday's
directional faux pas. The high layby was once again filled with construction
workers so I dropped down to the lower point and met Raymond De Smet who was
already there (along with the local, channel scanning Police).
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| The view... |
The next two hours up to midday were fantastic with little
pulses of raptors sneaking in from Turkey just seven miles away and we amassed
the following... 10 Honey Buzzard, four probably local Common Buzzard, two
Black Kites, three Short-toed Eagles, an adult Lesser Spotted Eagle, juvenile
Montagu's Harrier, 12 Marsh Harriers, four Sparrowhawk, three Goshawk and two
Hobbies. Three Black Kites on one morning here is quite exceptional I believe.
Raymond will have much better images than mine and we made a good team. We
found, he snapped, I confirmed in the scope. All the time Bee-eaters streamed
in and several hundred were seen and heard while Ravens were constant
companions in the airspace.
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Lesser Spotted Eagle |
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| Honey Buzzard |
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A rather chunky six fingered Honey Buzzard...
|
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Hobby |
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| Skala Sykaminias |
The sea was calm and there were many boats out fishing and
it was good to find several small groups of Yelkouan Shearwaters at last as
they fed with Yellow-legged Gulls on a bait ball near the surface. I thought
Dolphins would appear but they did not so perhaps a Swordfish hunting deeper
down.
Back home for lunch and then north late afternoon to visit
Perivolis Monastery again and while there was some kitten caring going on, I
went back to sit by the river and watch birds coming into bathe. It was a
superb half hour and although the light was awkward I had 14 species drop in
including a fine first winter Red-breasted Flycatcher that I did not notice
until it flew up revealing the white tail patches. It dried itself deep in
cover before flicking away not to be seen again although I could hear it
rattling from further up the slope. There were four different Common Redstarts,
many Spotted Flycatchers, a few Warblers, Cirl Buntings, White Wagtail and
plenty of finches which included at least four different Hawfinches. All
appeared to be immature birds and these were the best views I have ever had on
the island. Middle Spotted Woodpeckers were bounding around and several Persian
Squirrels scurried between the trees.
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| Hawfinches are amazingly cryptic when on the ground |
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| Common Redstart |
From here I dropped down towards the Ancient Antissa track
and slowly bumped through passing quite a few Red-backed Shrikes, Red-rumped Swallows, plenty of
Chats and Spot Flys, Cirl Buntings and Willow Warblers before a stop for the
view from Agriosikos. I am sure I could make out the blob of Pelicans from up there
way off on the Salt pans!
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| Towards Gavathas |
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| Red-rumped Swallow |
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| The Ancient Antissa fields |
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| Stonechat |
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| The view from Agriosikos |
A pre-dinner circuit of Lotzaria gave lovely encounters of
Red-backed Shrikes in golden light, four Buzzards on the wires, a solitary
Turtle Dove and pruuking Bee-eaters. A White Stork was having a preen on one of
water pump sheds and was completely unconcerned by our presence. A last look at
the Tsiknias Ford saw Green Sandpiper, Greenshank and Little Ringed Plovers in
the half light and the Kingfishers zipped through once again. The Bats were now
out and dinner beckoned for one last time at the Dionysis.
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| Red-backed Shrike |
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| Red-backed Shrike |
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| White Stork - ACV |
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| Half Moon - ACV |
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